Hyderabad hospital refuses to hand over coronavirus patient body to kin for not paying bill

A private hospital in Hyderabad which charged Rs 10 lakh for treating a coronavirus patient has refused to hand over the dead body to the family for not clearing the medical bill.

According to the patient's brother Venkata Swamy, the patient, Mohan Babu was admitted to continental hospital on July 13 after he tested positive for coronavirus. "The hospital asked to deposit Rs 1.50 lakh for the initial treatment and assured his recovery. The doctors video-called us and said that the patient's condition is stable. On Sunday, the hospital staff called us asking to pay Rs 1 lakh for further treatment and the bill was paid on Monday," Venkata Swamy said.

On Tuesday, the doctors asked them to visit the hospital as the patient's health condition worsened. "When we visited the hospital on Wednesday, the staff asked to pay Rs 6 lakh bill and collect the dead body," Swamy said adding that we were uninformed about his death.

A total of Rs 8 lakh bill was charged but no treatment was provided. The hospital authorities also threatened to file a case if failed to pay the bill and refused hand over the dead body, he said. Meanwhile, the patient's family is demanding the hospital to handover the body as they have no money to pay the remaining amount.